Col du Glandon

Once upon a time, there was a guy who though it would be fun to ride 677km non-stop from Évian-les-Bains to Nice across the heart of the Alps. 11 hours from the start and with 250km in the legs all seemed to be going ok, until he hit the latter slopes of the Glandon when suddenly, beauty turned into beast.

The wind funnels down from the top of the mountain as the gradient kicks up and hangs above double figures for what seems like forever. However, don’t be put off by Mike’s lunacy; the Glandon may have made him hurt so very much in the past, but it’s also one of the most enchanting mountains he has ever experienced. Watch Mike’s video and share with him moments when you’re barely moving and then suddenly, as you approach the summit, you can feel pure life being inhaled back into your lungs. It’s as if the mountain gods have taken a ribbon of tarmac and thrown it out of the sky from 2,000 metres to form a 20km playground of pure escapism. Now that’s the sign of a truly special climb.

Start: Saint-Étienne-de-Cuines

Length: 19.7km

Summit: 1,924m

Elevation gain: 1,441m

Average gradient: 7.3%

Max gradient: 11%

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